Īśvarapraṇidhāna "commitment to the Īśvara ("Lord")"N Tummers (2009), Teaching Yoga for Life, , page 16-17Īśvara + praṇidhāna, Īśvara and praṇidhāna is one of the five Niyama (ethical observances) in Hinduism and Yoga.Donald Moyer, Asana, Yoga Journal, Volume 84, January/February 1989, page 36
Etymology and meaning Īśvarapraṇidhāna is a Sanskrit compound of two words īśvara (ईश्वर) and praṇidhāna (प्रणिधान). Īśvara (sometimes spelled Īshvara) literally means "owner or ruler". Later religious literature in Sanskrit broadens the reference of this term to refer to God, the Absolute Brahman, True Self, or Unchanging Reality.Izvara ईश्वर, Monier Williams Sanskrit English Dictionary, Cologne Digital Sanskrit Lexicon, Germany Īśvara derives from the Sanskrit root īś, meaning "to command, rule, reign" or "to be the master of".
Praṇidhāna is used to mean a range of senses including, "laying on, fixing, applying, attention (paid to), meditation, desire, prayer." In Patanjali's Eight-Limbed Yoga, the word Īśvarapraṇidhāna means devotion to a Lord, who is defined elsewhere in the Yoga Sūtras as a special person (puruṣa), the first teacher (guru) of earlier yogins, "untouched by the afflictions, actions, or their fruition or their latent residue [in the mind]".
Discussion Yoga Sūtras of Patañjali Īśvarapraṇidhāna is mentioned in the Yoga Sūtras of Patañjali as follows:
– Yoga Sutras II.32
This means "Śauca, Santoṣa, Tapas, Svādhyāya and Īśvarapraṇidhāna are the Niyamas". This, the second limb in Patañjali's eight limb Yoga philosophy, is called the niyamas which include virtuous habits, behaviours and ethical observances (the "dos").N. Tummers (2009), Teaching Yoga for Life, , pages 13-16Y Sawai (1987), The Nature of Faith in the Śaṅkaran Vedānta Tradition, Numen, Vol. 34, Fasc. 1 (Jun., 1987), pages 18-44 The Yoga Sutras of Patañjali use the term Īśvara in 11 verses: I.23 through I.29, II.1, II.2, II.32 and II.45.
Patañjali defines Īśvara (Sanskrit: ईश्वर) in verse 24 of Book 1, as "a special Self (पुरुषविशेष, puruṣa-viśeṣa)",
– Yoga Sutras I.24
This sutra of Yoga philosophy adds the characteristics of Īśvara as that special Self which is unaffected (अपरामृष्ट, aparamrsta) by one's obstacles/hardships (क्लेश, klesha), one's circumstances created by past or one's current actions (कर्म, karma), one's life fruits (विपाक, vipâka), and one's psychological dispositions/intentions (आशय, ashaya).aparAmRSTa , kleza, karma, vipaka and ashaya ; Sanskrit English Dictionary, Koeln University, GermanyLloyd Pflueger (2008), Person Purity and Power in Yogasutra, in Theory and Practice of Yoga (Editor: Knut Jacobsen), Motilal Banarsidass, , pages 31-45
Īśvarapraṇidhāna is listed as the fifth niyama by Patañjali. In other forms of yoga, it is the tenth niyama.The Practice of Surrender Yoga Journal (August 28 2007) The yamas are restraints and the niyamas are observances or disciplines that regulate the yogin's ethical and personal life.
Īśvara as a metaphysical concept Hindu scholars have debated and commented on who or what is Īśvara. These commentaries range from defining Īśvara from a "personal god" to "special self" to "anything that has spiritual significance to the individual".Lloyd Pflueger (2008), Person Purity and Power in Yogasutra, in Theory and Practice of Yoga (Editor: Knut Jacobsen), Motilal Banarsidass, , pages 38-39Hariharānanda Āraṇya (2007), Parabhaktisutra, Aporisms on Sublime Devotion, (Translator: A Chatterjee), in Divine Hymns with Supreme Devotional Aphorisms, Kapil Math Press, Kolkata, pages 55-93; Hariharānanda Āraṇya (2007), Eternally Liberated Isvara and Purusa Principle, in Divine Hymns with Supreme Devotional Aphorisms, Kapil Math Press, Kolkata, pages 126-129 Ian Whicher explains that while Patañjali's terse verses can be interpreted both as theistic or non-theistic, Patañjali's concept of Īśvara in Yoga philosophy functions as a "transformative catalyst or guide for aiding the yogin on the path to spiritual emancipation". Desmarais states that Īśvara is a metaphysical concept in Yogasutras.Michele Marie Desmarais (2008), Changing Minds : Mind, Consciousness And Identity In Patañjali's Yoga-Sutra, Motilal Banarsidass, , page 131 Īśvarapraṇidhāna is investing, occupying the mind with this metaphysical concept. Yogasutra does not mention deity anywhere, nor does it mention any devotional practices (Bhakti), nor does it give Īśvara characteristics typically associated with a deity. In Yoga Sūtras it is a logical construct, states Desmarais.
In verses I.27 and I.28, the Yoga Sūtras associate Īśvara with the concept of Pranava (प्रणव, ॐ) and recommends that it be repeated and contemplated in one of the limbs of eight limbed yoga.Michele Marie Desmarais (2008), Changing Minds : Mind, Consciousness And Identity In Patañjali's Yoga-Sutra, Motilal Banarsidass, , page 132-136 This is seen as a means to begin the process of dissociating from external world, connecting with one's inner world, focusing and becoming one-minded in Yoga.See Yogasutra I.28 and I.29;
Whicher states that Patañjali's concept of Īśvara is neither a creator God nor the universal Absolute of the Advaita Vedanta school of Hinduism. Whicher also notes that some theistic sub-schools of Vedanta philosophy of Hinduism, inspired by the Yoga school, prefer to explain the term Īśvara as the "Supreme Being that rules over the cosmos and the individuated beings". However, in the Yoga Sūtras of Patañjali, and extensive literature of Yoga school of Hinduism, Īśvara is not a Supreme Ruler, Īśvara is not an ontological concept, rather it has been an abstract concept to meet the pedagogical needs for human beings who accept Yoga philosophy as a way of life.Knut Jacobsen (2008), Theory and Practice of Yoga : 'Essays in Honour of Gerald James Larson, Motilal Banarsidass, , page 77
Īśvara as a deity Īśvarapraṇidhāna has been interpreted to mean the contemplation of a deity in some sub-schools of Hinduism. Zimmer in his 1951 Indian philosophies book noted that the Bhakti sub-schools, and texts such as the Bhagavad Gita, refer to Īśvara as a Divine Lord, or as the deity of a specific Bhakti sub-school.Zimmer (1951), Philosophies of India, Reprinted by Routledge in 2008, , pages 242-243, 309-311 Modern sectarian movements have emphasized Īśvara as Supreme Lord; for example, Hare Krishna movement considers Krishna as the Lord.Karel Werner (1997), A Popular Dictionary of Hinduism, Routledge, , page 54 The Arya Samaj and Brahmoism movements – influenced by Christian and Islamic movements in India – conceptualize Īśvara as a monotheistic all powerful Lord.Rk Pruthi (2004), Arya Samaj and Indian Civilization, , pages 5-6, 48-49 In traditional theistic sub-schools of Hinduism, such as the Vishishtadvaita Vedanta of Ramanuja and Dvaita Vedanta of Madhva, Īśvara is identified as Vishnu/Narayana, that is distinct from the Prakriti (material world) and Purusha (soul, spirit). In all these sub-schools, Īśvarapraṇidhāna is the contemplation of the respective deity.
Radhakrishnan and Moore state that these variations in Īśvara concept is consistent with Hinduism's notion of "personal God" where the "ideals or manifestation of individual's highest Self values that are esteemed".Radhakrishnan and Moore (1967, Reprinted 1989), A Source Book in Indian Philosophy, Princeton University Press, , pages 37-39, 401-403, 498-503 Īśvarapraṇidhāna, or contemplation of Īśvara as a deity is useful, suggests Zaehner, because it helps the individual become more like Īśvara. Riepe, and others,Mircea Eliade (2009), Yoga: Immortality and Freedom, Princeton University Press, , pages 73-76 state that the literature of Yoga school of Hinduism neither explicitly defines nor implicitly implies, any creator-god; rather, it leaves the individual with freedom and choice of conceptualizing Īśvara in any meaningful manner he or she wishes, either in the form of "deity of one's choice" or "formless Brahman (Absolute Reality, Universal Principle, true special Self)".Dale Riepe (1961, Reprinted 1996), Naturalistic Tradition in Indian Thought, Motilal Banarsidass, , pages 177-184, 208-215RC Zaehner (1975), Our savage god: The perverse use of eastern thought, , pages 69-72RC Zaehner (1966), Hinduism, Oxford University Press, 1980 edition: pages 126-129, Reprinted in 1983 as The need and purpose of Īśvara, whatever be the abstraction of it as "special kind of Self" or "personal deity", is not an end in itself, rather it is a means to "perfect the practice of concentration" in one's journey through the eight limbs of Yoga philosophy.Woods (1914, Reprinted in 2003), Yoga system of Patanjali, Harvard University Press, pages 48-59, 190
Īśvara as pure consciousness Larson suggests Īśvara in Īśvarapraṇidhāna can be understood through its chronological roots. Yoga school of Hinduism developed on the foundation of Samkhya school of Hinduism. In the non-theistic/atheistic Samkhya school, Purusa is a central metaphysical concept, and envisioned as "pure consciousness". Further, Purusa is described by Samkhya school to exist in a "plurality of pure consciousness" in its epistemological theory (rather than to meet the needs of its ontological theory).N Iyer (2008), Theory and Practice of Yoga : 'Essays in Honour of Gerald James Larson (Editor: Knut Jacobsen), Motilal Banarsidass, , pages 103-104 In the Yoga Sūtras, Patanjali defines Īśvara as a "special Purusa" in verse I.24, with certain characteristics. Īśvara, then may be understood as one among the plurality of "pure consciousness", with characteristics as defined by Patanjali in verse I.24.Lloyd Pflueger (2008), Person Purity and Power in Yogasutra, in Theory and Practice of Yoga (Editor: Knut Jacobsen), Motilal Banarsidass, , pages 32-39
Īśvara as spiritual but not religious Van Ness, and others,B Pradhan (2014), Yoga: Original Concepts and History. In Yoga and Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy, Springer Switzerland, , pages 3-36 suggests that the concepts of Īśvara, Īśvara-pranidhana and other limbs of Yoga may be pragmatically understood as "spiritual but not religious".Peter H. Van Ness (1999), Yoga as Spiritual but not Religious: A pragmatic perspective, American Journal of Theology & Philosophy, Vol. 20, No. 1 (January 1999), pages 15-30Fritz Allhoff (2011), Yoga - Philosophy for Everyone: Bending Mind and Body, Wiley-Blackwell, , Foreword by John Friend and Chapter 3
See also Puja (Hinduism) Yamas Yoga (Philosophy)
References
Sources